Caesar salad has something to celebrate: It’s turning 100. Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini is said to have invented the dish on July 4, 1924, at his restaurant, Caesar’s Place, in Tijuana, Mexico. It was a steamy night, and Cardini was struggling to feed an influx of Californians who had crossed the border to escape Prohibition.

In the middle of the dining room, Cardini tossed whole Romaine leaves with ingredients he had on hand, including garlic-flavored oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemons, eggs and Parmesan cheese. A star was born. Around 35% of U.S. restaurants have Caesar salad on their menus, and nearly 43 million bottles of Caesar salad dressing – or $150 million worth — have been sold in the U.S. over the past year.